Portable apparatus for transferring loads



Nov. 8, 1938. E. e. AMESBU RY 2,135,531

PORTABLE APPARATUS FOR TRANSFERRING LOADS Filed Dec. 21, 1936 sSieecs-Sheet 1' lnuenfm': fENES-T 6i. flMESBl/EY,

i/(i Jimmy 5 Nov. 8, 1938. E. e. AMESBURY 2,135,631

PORTABLE APPARATUS FOR TRANSFERRING LOADS Filed Dec. '21, 1956 sSheets-Sheet 2 [Mei e102":

Nov. 8, 1938.- r-i. G. AMESBURY 2,135,631

PORTABLE APPARATUS FOR TRANSFERRING LOADS Filed Dec. 21, 1956 5Sheets-Sheet 3 hwenfor: ERNEST 6. QME BUEY,

Patented Nov. 8, 1938 PATENT OFFICE PORTABLE APPARATUS FOR TRAN SFERRING LOADS Ernest G. Amesbury, Pittsburgh, Pa. Application December 21,1936, Serial No; 117,060

1 Claim.

This invention relates to the transfer of loads, and more particularlyto the erection or disvmantling of structural members, although notlimited thereto.

In erecting the high columns of suspension bridge towers, by way ofexample, it has heretofore been the usual practice traveler orframe-work upon which is mounted one or more booms or derricks. Thistraveler is usually hoisted by special block-and-tackle and held inposition while moving by temporary guides. The use of such a device isattended by many troublesome features, such as the provision of extraengines, extra block-and-tackle, and the necessary guides. In addition,a traveler is limited in its operation to the handling of relativelyshort structural members which, of course, requires considerableriveting and assembling on the site of the structure.

It is among the objects of the present invention to eliminate, to agreat extent, the involved equipment incident to theemployment ofconventional devices for handling loads.

Another object is to transfer difiicult loads, such as long structuralmembers, and in that instance thereby enable more riveting andassembling in the shop,

The foregoing and other objects will be apparent after referring to thedrawings in which;

Figure 1 is a side elevation of an erecting rig of the walking-beamwhich composes part of the present invention;

Figure 2 is a plan of the showing of Figure 1 Figure 3 is a sectionalview on the line III-III of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a plan of a pair of walking-beams mounted on a column of asuspension bridge tower;

Figure 5 is a schematic diagram in elevation disclosing the method ofemploying the rig of the present invention to start erection on a pierand to raise the rig to the top of the first column section;

Figure 6 is an elevation of a load bracket and bracket-knee brace usedto support the erecting Figure '7 is a fragmentary view on the lineVII-VII of Figure 6;

Figure 8 is an elevation of a raising beam as used in combination with apair of Walkingbeams, the latter being shown in section;

Figure 9 is a fragmentary end elevation of the showing of Figure 8; t

Figure 10 is a fragmentary elevation of an adjustment beam which is usedto vary the width of the erecting rig to accommodate a change in thewidth of the column being erected; and

Figure 11 is a fragmentary view on theline XI-XI of Figure 10.

Referring more particularly to the drawings,

the numeral 2 generally designates a walkingbeam which may be in theform of a truss, braced truss, or a simple beam of such proportion,strength and shape as the structure to be erected or dismantled mayrequire. In the present instance, the walking-beam 2 is shown ascomprising a braced truss which is provided with out board supportingtrusswork 3.

The walking-beam 2 carries a pair of centrally disposed, laterallyaligned apertured hangers 5, while the trusswork 3 carries an aperturedhanger 6 in alignment therewith, An elongated main pivot pin 8 isdisposed to extend through the pair of apertured hangers 5 and theapertured hanger 6. A sheave 9 is carried by the elongated pin 8 betweenthe pair of apertured hangers 5.

One end of the walking-beam 2 carries a hanger l2 which supports a pairof sheaves 4. A rope I 5, carrying a tackle block IE on one of its ends,is passed around one of the sheaves I 4, around the tackle block l6, andaround the other of the V I is passed around the sheave 9, between theapertured hangers 5, and extends away from the walking-beam 2. Thetackle block l6 carries a suitable hitching device, such as a downwardlyextending rope I1. It will be readily understood by those skilled in theart that the hanger 2 on the Walking-beam 2 can be provided with asingle sheave M, or any suitable number, depending upon the load to behandled.

The foregoing arrangement of sheaves 9 and I4, tackle block l6 and rope|5 comprise a load-fall; the rope I5, after passing around the sheaves 4and extending away from the walking-beam 2, forming the load lead lineby reason of its being connected to a conveniently disposed engine (notshown).

The other end of the walking-beam 2 carries a hanger I9 to which thereis connected a pair of pivotal links 20, the latter pivotally supportinga pair of sheaves 2|. A rope 23, carrying a tackle block 24 on one ofits ends, is passed around one of the sheaves 2| around the tackle block24 and around the other of the sheaves 2| from which it extends awayfrom the walking-beam 2. The pulley 24 carries a suitable hitchingdevice, such as a downwardly extending rope 25. A single sheave 2|, orany suitable number, may be substituted for the pair described,depending upon the load to be handled.

The foregoing arrangement of sheave 2|, tackle block 24 and rope 23comprise a hold-down fall; the rope 23, after passing around the sheaves2| and extending away from the walking-beam 2, forming the hold-downline by reason of its being connected to a conveniently disposed engine(not shown).

In practice, the walking-beam 2 is preferably used in combination with areversely constructed duplicate thereof, the pair being disposed in adjacent parallelism, as shown in Figures 4, 8 and 10. For the purposes ofsimplicity, however, the operation of a single walking-beam 2 will bedescribed, it being understood that the other of the pair is operated inan identical manner and. simultaneously therewith.

The walking-beam 2 is hoisted to the top. of

a pier 30 (Figure 5) in any convenient. manner. A temporary shoe 3| issecured to'the top of the pier 36 and the walking-beam 2 is pivotallyconnected thereto by means of the elongated pin 6. The hold-downhitching device, orrope 25, is.

suitably anchored and the hold-down lead rope 23 is, as previouslymentioned, connected to an engine (not shown). The hold-down lead rope'23 is let out, or slackened, and the Opposite end of the walking-beam'2 pulled or permitted to tilt downwardly. This is continued until theload-fall tackle clears the pier 36 and the loadhitching device, or ropeIT, can be hooked onto the structural member to be hoisted. The loadfalllead rope I5 is then pulled in by its engine (not shown) until thestructural member being hoisted is elevated to the required position.The hold-down lead rope 23 is then pulled in by its engine (not shown),causing the downward tilting of that end of the walking-beam 2. Thisshortening of the hold-down lead rope 23 is continued until thestructural member being hoisted is directly over its permanent location.This stage of operation is illustrated in Figure 5, wherein thestructural member being hoisted is shown at 33 (full lines) ascomprising the first section 33 of a tower column.

If the centerjof gravity of the walking-beam 2 passes almost or totallyto. the right of the elongated pin 8 (Figures 1 and 5), a runner-line,or set of blocks-and-tackle, may be connected to the pier or face of thecolumn to the left end of the walking-beam and used to pull it backuntil the center of gravity is sufficiently in that direction, whereuponthe left end of the walking-beam will tilt downwardly as the hold-downlead rope 23 is let out or slackened. If it is necessary to tilt thewalking-beam 2 into almost vertical position to hoist a structuralmember, this runnerline maybe used to prevent the walking-beam fromtipping over.

According tothe foregoing, it will be seen that the walking-beam 2 veryeffectively operates as a simple lifting beam.

Afterthe hoisting has been completed, and the first section 33 of thetower column installed,the walking-beam 2 is raised thereonto in thefollowing manner:

A raising-beam. 34 is provided for supporting a pair of pins 8 for thewalking-beam2 when the latter is being elevated. This raising-beam 34 istemporarily bolted wherever desired, and is elevated from time to time.At the present stage of operation, the raising-beam 34 is bolted to thefirst section 33 of the tower column, and the loadhitching device, orrope I1, is suitably anchored. Rocker-shoes 36 are secured to the uppersurface of the raising-beam 34. The pivot pins 8* connect therocker-shoes 36 .to the walking-beam 2 through supplemental shoes 5 and6 which are connected to the latter; for example, through bolt holes 31,as shown in Figure 1. The loadfall lead'rope I5 is pulled, in until thewalkingbeam 2 is made to rest on the rocker-shoes 36 carried by theraising-beam 34. The walkingbeam 2 is then connected by the pivot pins 8to the rocker-shoes 36. The load-fall lead rope i5 is pulled in untilthe load of the walking-beam 2 is transferred from the elongated pin 8to the rocker-shoes 36 on the raising-beam 34. At this stage ofoperation, the elements are in the lower of the two dotted linepositions of Figure 5.

'The elongated pin 8 is removed and the temporary shoe. 3| is removedfrom the top of the pier 36. The load-fall lead rope I5 is then pulledin until the walking-beam 2 is in the upper dotted line position ofFigure 5.

In the present instance, it is necessary to support the walking-beam 2on the side of the first section 33. Accordingly, I provide aload-bracket,

a practical form of which is generally indicated at 44 in Figures 6 and'7 of the drawings. This load-bracket 44 comprises a framework whichsupports a pair of vertically extending laterally aligned aperturedhangers 45. This framework is suitably bolted to the side of the firstsection 33 of the tower column, and is provided with a knee brace 46which is also secured to the side of the first section. The verticallyextending, laterally aligned apertured hangers 45 are constructed andarranged to receive the elongated pin 8 of the walking-beam 2. After thewalking-beam 2 is pivotally mounted on the loadbracket 44, it isoperated in the same manner as was previously mentioned in connectionwith its former position on the temporary shoe 3| on the top of the pier30.

According to the foregoing, it will be seen that the walking-beam 2 isemployed in its load-hoisting capacity when, centrally pivotallymounted. When moving it from one position to another, the walking-beam 2is alternately pivotally mounted at two points; one of which is betweenits center and one ofits ends, and the other is at its center. It isdesirable to leave the loadbrackets 44 36 on raising-beam 34) attachedto the walking-beam 2 when moving the latterfrom one position toanother, thereby avoiding duplicated effort.

Referring to Figures 10 and 11, I have disclosed an adjusting device onthe raising-beam 34. This adjusting device comprises slidablerocker-shoes 5| and screw-jacks 52, and is used to adjust thewalking-beam 2 toward oraway from the structure being erected.

While I have shown and described several specific embodiments of myinvention, it will be understood that I do not wish to be limitedexactly thereto, since various modifications may be made withoutdeparting from the scope of the invention, as defined in the followingclaim.

I claim:

A portable apparatus for transferring loads comprising a walking-beam, aload fall rigging carried by said walking-beam adjacent one of its ends,a hold-down fall rigging carried by said walking-beam adjacent the otherof its ends, a mounting for supporting said walking-beam intermediateits ends, and a mounting between said first-named mounting and one ofthe ends of said walking-beam, said second-named mounting beingadjustable longitudinally of said walking beam, each of said mountingsbeing constructed and arranged to support said walkingbeam for freepivotal movement.

and elevating-brackets (rocker-shoes

